Radially movable piston type clutch



May 6, 1952 B. s, NELSON RADIALLY MOVABLE PISTON TYPE CLUTCH Filed Oct. 9, 1946 V Patented May 6, 1952 1 RADIALLY MOVABLE PISTON TYPE CLUTCH Bertel S. Nelson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Foote Bros. Gear and Machine Corporation, Chicago,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims. 1 This invention relates to couplings and more particularly to hydraulic torque transmitting couplings of the fluid displacement type.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a coupling of the fluid displacement type sion of torque.

tation of the coupling parts.

a high pressure discharge point.

ment chambers is insured at all times.

the accompanying drawing, in which:

embodying the invention; and

2-2 of Figure 1.

which to a similar hub member I I.

shown as three in number.

formed with fluid passages I5 and I6.

maintained in the discharge chamber.

5 which produces a smooth continuous transmiS- whose outer surface sealingly engages the lands I4. The rotor is formed with a series of radially Another object is to provide a coupling in which extending pockets 25 equal in number to an inthe flow of fluid in the coupling is controlled by tegral multiple of the number of recesses. In valve means operated in response to relative r0- the form shown there are three recesses and six According to one pockets although more pockets could be utilized feature the valve may be of the continuously roif desired. Each of the pockets slidably carries tating type serving alternately to connect fluid a gate member shown as a roller 26 which can displacement chambers with a supply source and move radially in the pockets to maintain contact with the inner surface of the casing ring I2 at all Still another object is'to provide a coupling times. The rotor is connected to the hub I 0 in which a full supply of fluid in the displacethrough clutch teeth 21 and 28 and seals against the hub IIl through a flexible seal 29 so that its The above and other objects and advantages interior forms a common fluid supply chamber 30 of the invention will be apparent from the followwith the interior of the casing. The clutch teeth ing description when read in connection with 21 and 28 provide for slight misalignment of the shafts without interferring with torque trans- Figure 1 is an axial section through a coupling mission and may be omitted where provision for misalignment is not necessary. The rotor is Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line sealed against the end of the casing ring I2 through a flange portion 3I on the rotor engag- The coupling is adapted to connect a pair of g a S a n ng 32 to prevent the es ap o qcoaxial shafts, one of which may be keyed or uid between the casing and rotor. plined to a, hub member I!) and the other of end of the rotor carries a sealing ring 33 which The hub seals the ends of the pockets 25 and of the rollmember I I has secured thereto an annular casing ers 26. ring I2 which is formed on its inner surface with Each of the pocket Co c W a radially a series of circumferential spaced recesses I3 extending po 4, and the ports on adjacent Th recesses are seppockets are axially staggered so that one port will arated by lands I4 which are equidistant from register with the valve ports 22 and the other with the axis of the casing. The hub member II exthe Valve ports tends axially into the casing to terminate flush relative o t e Casi each p e is alternately with the outer face of the casing ring I2 and is Connected through its p 22 O 23 and oove h pas- I6 to the supply chamber and through the groove sage I5 is in the form of a short groove extending 40. I5 and passage s the pressure Chamber- 0 for a limited distance axially, as seen in Figure 1, equalize e action of the evera ate members while the passage I6 is a longer groove extendall Of the ports 34 lying in the Same plane are ing substantially throughout the hub portion. Connected by an annular ve 35- The hub II carries a tubular plug I'I forming a further formed With radially extending passa s high pressure discharge chamber 20 which com- 36 connecting the supply chamber to the space municates through a passage I8 with the groove immediately trailing each of the gate members. I5. A control valve I9 closes the end of the In operation the casing is filled with any suitdischarge chamber and may be regulated in reable liquid such as oil so that the several passages sponse to fluid pressure to control the pressure and chambers throughout the casing will be filled. As the rotor turns relative to the casing, the gate The passages I5 and I6 are adapted to promembers separate the recesses into high pressure duce a valving effect in cooperation with an anchambers 31 leading the gate members and low nular sleeve 2I rotatably mounted on the hub pressure chambers 38 trailing the gate members. portion and formed with two series of ports 22 As shown in Figure 2, the rotor is adapted to turn and 23. As shown, there are three ports 22 and three ports 23 which are spaced axially from the ports 22 and are staggered circumferentially with respect thereto.

The casing is adapted to receive a cylindrical rotor 24 which is connected to the sleeve 2I and The opposite In this way as the rotor turns The rotor is counterclockwise so that the low pressure chambers 38 which expand in volume during rotation will be maintained full of liquid through the passages 38. The rollers 26 fit somewhat loosely in the pockets 25 so that high pressure fluid from the high pressure chambers 31 may find its way into the pockets to urge the rollers outward into tight sealing engagement with the interior of the casing. As the rotor turns it will reach the position shown in Figure 2 in which the ports 22 communicate through the groove IS with the high pressure chamber. In this position the pressures in the several high pressure chambers 31 will be equalized through the annular passage 35, and they will all be in communication with the high pressure chamber 20 so that. the high pressures therein will be subject to control by the valve 19. At the same time the ports 23 are in communication with the supply chamber 30 through the groove I6. As the rotor turns, the rollers in the last named pockets will move outward into the recesses, and the pockets will be supplied with fluid from the supply chamber 30 through the groove [6 so that the pockets will be filled. This communication will be maintained until the rollers have moved outward to their maximum extent in the pockets at which time the ports 23 communicating with such pockets will be closed due to turning of the valve 2|. As the rotor turns still further the leading rollers in each pocket will reach the ends of the pockets and will be moved inward toward the lands. At this time communication is established between the ports 22 and the groove 16 to connect the pockets of such rollers to the low pressure or supply chamber. Therefore, the liquid in the pockets can flow into the supply chamber as the rollers move inward to prevent blocking movement of the rollers. As rotation continues, the valve actionwill continue in a manner similar to a commutator alternately to connect the pockets to the high pressure and supply chambers. It will be noted that because there are more rollers than recesses and because the numbers of rollers and recesses are integrally related there will always be one roller effective in each of the recesses so that a continuous smooth torque transmission is produced.

During normal low torque operation the valve 19 will remain closed so that fluid is trapped in the high pressure chambers and the pockets. Any tendency of the rotor and casing to turn relative to each other tends to force this trapped fluid past the valve I9 but under normal torque conditions the valve l9 remains closed. Therefore, except for the very minor slip permittedby leakage around the rollers the rotor and casing are locked together at this time to transmit torque directly between the shafts. On excess load the valve [9 will open in response to the increased pressure in the high pressure chambers and the pockets so that liquid from the pockets can flow past it to permit relative rotation of the casing and rotor. It will be noted in this connection that the port sizes are such that the high pressure chambersare connected to the valve chamber during all of the time that they are under high pressure.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not intended to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference-being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A coupling comprising a hollow casing having a tubular wall section formed on its inner surface with a series of 'circumferentially spaced recesses, a rotor of circular section fitting into the casing, the rotor being formed with a series of radially extending pockets, gate members slidably mounted in the pockets to engage the inner surface of the casing, the casing forming a liquid supply chamber and the rotor being formed with a liquid pressure chamber, valve means operated by rotation of the rotor in the casing alternately to connect the pockets to the supply chamber and the discharge chamber and a valve connecting the pressure chamber to the supply chamber to control the pressure in the pressure chamber.

2. A coupling comprising a hollow casing having a tubular wall section formed on its inner surfaceiwith a series of circumferentially spaced recesses, a rotor of circular section fitting into the casing, the rotor being formed with a series of radially extending pockets, gate members slidably mounted in the pockets to engage the inner surface of the casing, the gate members fitting loosely in the pockets so that fluid from the forward side of the gate members can flow therepast into the pockets, the casing forming a fluid supply chamber and the rotor being formed with a fluid pressure chamber, and valve means controlled by rotation of the rotor in the casing alternately to connect the pockets to the supply chamber and the pressure chamber.

3. A coupling comprising a hollow casing having a tubular wall section formed on its inner surface with a series of circumferentially spaced recesses, a rotor of circular section fitting into the casing, therotor being formed with a series of radially extending pockets, gate membersslidably mounted in the pockets to engage the inner surface of the casing, the gate members fitting loosely in the pockets so that fluid from the forward side of the gate members can flow therepast into the pockets, the casing forming a fluid supply chamber and the rotor being formed with a fluid pressure chamber, the rotor being formed with inwardly extending ports communicating with the pockets, and a valve part in the rotor formed with passages alternately to connect the ports to the supply chamber and the pressure chamber as the rotor turns.

4. A coupling comprising a hollow casing having a tubular wall section formed on its'inner surface with a series of circumferentially spaced recesses, a rotor of circular section fitting into the casing, the rotor being formed with a series of radially extending pockets, gate members slidablymounted in the pockets to engage the inner surface of the casing, the gate members fitting looselyinthe pockets so that fluid from the forward side ofthe gate members can flow therepast into the pockets, the casing forming a fluid supply chamber and the rotor being formed with a fluidpressure chamber, the rotor being formed with inwardly extending ports communicating with the pockets, and a valve part in the rotor formed with passages alternately to connect the ports to the supply chamber and the pressure chamber as the rotor turns, the rotor further being formed with passages connecting the sup-' the high pressure chamber and with the interior of the casing respectively, a rotor in the casing rotatable on the hub and formed with a series of spaced radial pockets of the same length as the width of the recesses, means closing the ends of the recesses and pockets, and gate members slidable in the pockets to engage the inner casing surface and divide the recesses into circumferentially spaced high and low pressure chambers, the rotor being formed with ports extending to the hub alternately to connect the pockets with the passages in the hub. l

6. A coupling comprising a hollow casing formed on its inner surface with a series of cirof the casing respectively, a rotor in the casing 20 rotatable on the hub and formed with a series of spaced radial pockets of the same length-as the width of the recesses, means closing the ends of the recesses and pockets, and gate members slidable in the pockets to engage the inner casing 25 2, 1 1

surface and divide the recesses into circumferentially spaced high and low pressure chambers, the rotor being formed with ports extending to the hub alternately to connect the pockets with the passages in the hub, and with passages connecting the interior of the hub to the spaces immediately trailing the gate members.

BERTEL S. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,514,804 Staude Nov. 11, 1924 1,559,462 Ryan Oct. 27, 1925 1,567,912 Carey Dec. 29, 1925 1,749,121 Barlow Mar. 4, 1930 1,823,389 DeLavaud Sept. 15, 1931 2,146,717 Berger Feb. 14, 1939 2,242,734 Whittlesey May 20, 1941 2,380,445 Johnson et a1 July 31, 1945 Stephens June 13, 1950 

